The Pioneers’ New Testamenthttps://pioneernt.com
A new translation of the New Testament, with thoughts on living by it
Wed, 02 Jan 2019 02:43:04 +0000 en
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1 http://wordpress.com/https://secure.gravatar.com/blavatar/f3818fc92180e0d399400df6b721e992?s=96&d=https%3A%2F%2Fs0.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.pngThe Pioneers’ New Testamenthttps://pioneernt.com
The most neglected message of the Christmas season: “Fear not!”https://pioneernt.com/2018/12/23/the-most-neglected-message-of-the-christmas-season-fear-not/
https://pioneernt.com/2018/12/23/the-most-neglected-message-of-the-christmas-season-fear-not/#respondSun, 23 Dec 2018 18:44:16 +0000http://pioneernt.com/?p=1446This was presented to our fellowship this morning.

“Fear Not!”

The Most Neglected Message of the Season

It has long been customary, among churches that define themselves by the careful observance of “doctrines” to which their adherents are required to subscribe, to create an especially obligatory “sacred” atmosphere around certain “seasons” representing particular segments of their perceived history. Other, less formal assemblies (who are just as concerned with being faithful) have chosen to emphasize some of these “seasons” or “feasts”, as they are called, and to minimize or ignore others. And some, who do not enjoy – or who even take offense at – what they call “pageantry”, ignore it altogether. (Did you know, for example, that celebrating “Christmas” was illegal in Puritan New England? They objected to the suffix, “-mas”, because it was derived from the Catholic observance of the “Mass”.)
It is difficult to find specific Scriptural instructions either for or against any of these positions, so I am not concerned this morning either to attack or to defend any of them.

The celebration of Christmas, supposedly the time of Jesus’ birth, is one of many groups’ favorites. Setting aside the strong probability that this actually happened in the spring, and not mid- winter at all, I do, however, find their choice of “words” to emphasize at this time of year quite seriously lacking. One can easily wax eloquent about such ideas as “light, hope, faith, love, peace,” and other similarly idealistic topics – and none of these is “wrong”. All are quite legitimate ideas to promote – at any season.

But I would prefer today to direct your attention to one of the most common admonitions, both by Jesus himself, and by the earlier “messengers”, both human and super-human, who announced his coming, but which is almost universally ignored by people who claim to represent him, and which I have never found on any list of “Advent” topics.

That message is “FEAR NOT!” – “Don’t be afraid!!!” And is there any message that this sad world needs more than that?

Of all the imperatives in the New Testament, it may well be that this one stands in the sharpest contrast to the voices that constantly bombard our consciousness. Economic, political, medical, social, and yes, even “religious” spokesmen, of every persuasion, assault their already apprehensive audiences with the same message:

“Be afraid! Be very afraid!”

Jesus, in contrast, as well as virtually all the supernatural participants in his recorded history, consistently greet despairing, worried or startled people with a reassuring, “Fear not! DON’T be afraid!”

How have these encouraging words become so universally ignored among people who claim to represent Jesus? Indeed, the students at the “Christian” high school where Aaron taught years ago, overwhelmingly gave “fear of what would happen to me if I did not”, as their primary reason for committing themselves to the Lord! And a fellow-teacher at that same school, who called himself an “evangelist”, questioned the validity of my own conversion when I said that I had never been “afraid of God,” or of meeting him! This is not only tragic: it is an exceedingly shameful misrepresentation of the One who commissioned us to share his “Good News”! That, by the way, is the literal translation of both “evangel”(Greek) and “gospel” (an old English equivalent).

So let’s look at the New Testament! That is still, as it always was our best source of information.

Before Jesus was even born, the message predominated: Fear not!

Please read each of the indicated references as you come to them.

Gabriel’s message, to both Joseph (Mt.1:18-20)

and to Mary (Lk.1:26-32) began with the same admonition: “Fear NOT!” “Don’t be afraid!”

To the elderly priest, Zachariah, in the temple, (Lk.1:9,11-13) it was the same. This must have made a strong impression, because look, then, at that gentleman’s response (Lk.1:67, 72-75) at the birth of his own son, who was to be part of the plan! “Enabling God’s people to serve him WITHOUT FEAR!”

Later, the shepherds, frightened by the sudden apparition in their peaceful fields, got the same message (Lk.2:8-10)

During Jesus’ ministry, the same refrain keeps repeating – we will just pick a few of the many incidents:

Mk.4:35-40 – the storm at sea.
Another storm story appears in three of the gospels: Mt.14, Mk.6, and Jn.6 – the account of Jesus, who, rather than taking a much-deserved nap, had been left behind, and came walking toward them on the water. The disciples are terrified at the sight, but his greeting combines two of his “trademark” statements: “Don’t be afraid” and “I AM.” This latter phrase deserves a whole study of its own – suffice it here to say that it is Jesus’ common statement of his identity with the Father, using God’s Burning Bush statement to Moses, which was forbidden to ordinary people.

Luke chose to highlight a different encounter on the lake, one that contemporary “evangelists” would do well to imitate. Lk.5:4-11 describes an “ordinary” fishing trip that turned out anything but ordinary!
Overwhelmed by the huge catch of fish, (Quite an extravagant “thanks for the use of your boat”!) Peter reacted in the way too many preachers expect (or demand) of their hearers: “Leave me, Lord, I’m a no-good sinner!” But far from pouncing on that “confession” and flogging him with it (notice: that was Peter’s diagnosis, not the Lord’s), Jesus replied, more in keeping with his own consistent character, “Don’t be afraid”, Peter: I have a job for you!” What a gracious welcome!

Lk.8:49-54 – describes an interrupted “healing” trip, where the interruption did not prevent his ministry to either need.

Interestingly, all the accounts of Jesus’ Transfiguration, which understandably “spooked out” the watching disciples, also record the antidote for their fear: “Listen to him!” (Mt.17:5-8). If we listen / pay attention to Jesus, fear must take a permanent back seat!

Even when he is warning them about the very real dangers of their mission, the accounts in both Matthew and Luke are peppered with “don’t be afraid!”

And as the amazed disciples stood in wonder staring at the empty tomb, the heavenly messenger had exactly the same message: “Don’t be afraid!” (Mt.28:1-10).

It is especially sad when people who trace their beginnings to the Swiss Brethren, one of the first of the Anabaptist groups, (an original “back to the Bible” movement), fall for a “gospel” of threats and fear – which is no “gospel” at all! The word means “GOOD news” in sixteenth century English.
A focus on fear is a MAJOR rejection of both the first century church’s attitude and the 16th century Anabaptist principles. Those early brethren waded INTO fearful situations; they did not threaten others with doom!
Our spiritual ancestors willingly faced burning, drowning, exile, and all sorts of horrible treatment, BECAUSE they espoused a new definition of Christian faithfulness, which had no connection whatever to any dogmas compiled by hierarchical officials, be they ecclesiastical or political.

Several historical scholars have summarized this definition to include:

1. Discipleship. The classic statement was “No one can truly know Christ except he follow him in life.”
2. A voluntary (neither automatic nor hereditary) community, deliberately formed by committed adults
3. Study and interpretation of Scripture in the hands of the ENTIRE community (not the clergy: there was no clergy in the first century! “Clergy” was an artifact of the Constantinian alliance between “church and state” – which at the time were allied against those faithful brethren, as they also were in the 16th century.)
4.The priority of the New Testament, with the Old viewed as merely preparatory.

It was, in short, an effort to restore the New Testament Church – according to the pattern of Jesus’ first followers.

After a lengthy series of warnings about the very real perils of the life that he advocated – Jesus concluded with this admonition: (Lk.12:22),
“Fear not, little flock: it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom!”

Please notice something else about this and all of Jesus’ similar instructions: except for those specifically addressed to a particular individual, they are all given in the PLURAL, not singular. Both fear and confidence are heavily influenced by one’s surroundings. Faithfulness is – and always was – intended to be a group effort, a mutual affair. Jesus never advocated the introspection of the lonely hermit on a mountaintop. He both practiced and preached the Kingdom in the messy context of real life.
And in this often very messy context, faithful representation of the Lord Jesus will always seek to alleviate, never to instill fear. Together, people can do a much better job of overcoming their fear, or, if necessary, enduring it.

This poor world has more than enough fear already. An accurate presentation of “the Gospel” is the same today as it was to the terrified shepherds on the hillside so long ago:
“Don’t be afraid! I am bringing you GOOD NEWS!”

]]>https://pioneernt.com/2018/12/23/the-most-neglected-message-of-the-christmas-season-fear-not/feed/0ruthpmartinPrinted copy of the PNThttps://pioneernt.com/2018/11/10/printed-copy-of-the-pnt/
https://pioneernt.com/2018/11/10/printed-copy-of-the-pnt/#respondSat, 10 Nov 2018 19:02:26 +0000http://pioneernt.com/?p=1441This is a contribution by a reader who kindly suggested making you aware of his success at making a print copy of the Pioneers New Testament. Thanks to Felix for sharing. Please see his comment on the Download the PNT page for more detail. Here are some photos of the finished product which Felix shared with me:

]]>https://pioneernt.com/2018/11/10/printed-copy-of-the-pnt/feed/0Dan Martin“Why are you here?”https://pioneernt.com/2018/09/09/why-are-you-here/
https://pioneernt.com/2018/09/09/why-are-you-here/#respondSun, 09 Sep 2018 18:34:24 +0000http://pioneernt.com/?p=1439This is the message delivered at our small fellowship this morning. I think it is relevant for a great many groups of the Lord’s followers.

“Why are you here?”

Readings: Ephesians 4:9-16 and I Corinthians 12

This message grows out of a recent conversation in which a member of our group replied to the question, “When are you going to preach?” by responding that he was not sure he had anything much to say. I took issue with that: because I firmly believe that every one of us was put here on purpose. Every one of you has been brought here for a reason: because either you are, you know, you have, you understand, or you can do, learn teach, or become something that the rest of us NEED, in order to function as the Lord intends that we should.

If we seriously call ourselves God’s people, we have work to do. There is a hurting world to heal and comfort, a Kingdom to be built, realized, and shared, and this can only happen if “every part is working with the strength that God supplies.”

One of the most common references to the church in the New Testament is “the Body of Christ.” In addition to the passages already read, Paul wrote to the Colossian church that with Jesus as the Head, “all the Body, supplied through its joints and ligaments, and knit together, grows with a growth that comes from God.” (Col.2:19). As you know, I do a lot of knitting. And I know all too well what a mess I have if one stitch is dropped! The whole thing is ruined! With Jesus no longer physically present, this is the ONLY way he can be seen by the rest of the world.

The contribution of every part is essential to the growth and function of a body. By far the most extensive treatment of this topic is found in I Cor.12, which should be the subject of a careful study of its own. Our human bodies are intricately and carefully designed by their Creator. Each part has a necessary role to play in order that the whole may function properly. “You all, then, are the Body of Christ, and individually, you are parts of it.” (v.27). In fact, the choice to be joined to the Body of Christ should be the last individual act of a person’s life. From then on, he is no longer a separate individual, but a part of a larger whole: the Body of Christ. Alone, a hand, a foot, an eye, an ear, cannot survive long. Neither can it fulfill its proper function without the contribution of the rest of the Body. An individual part can’t even be in a proper relationship with the Head without the necessary connecting parts! A finger is of no use unless it is attached to a hand, which itself must be attached to an arm, which is utterly dependent upon a shoulder – Were each individual part to be attached directly to the head, the result would not be a Body, but a monstrosity! “Just Jesus and me” simply does not work. Only together can God’s people become his presence in the world.

Some of the most detailed instructions in this regard occur in Ephesians 4. Paul speaks of various functional persons having been given by God to the church: apostles, prophets, teachers, etc. He maintains that all of these exist for a single purpose: “for work of service, and for building the Body of Christ.” They are neither officials empowered to rule over the rest, nor employees hired to do all the “work of the church.” They are simply members of the Body, entrusted with the responsibility to lead and facilitate the work of all the others!

Paul also illustrated the indispensability and mutual dependence of every part of the human body in I Cor.12, stressing that no part can claim greater value than another, nor divorce itself from its need for all the rest. The members of the Body are intended to support, build up, and serve each other. The leadership functions are intended to help them learn to do that. Notice that these leadership functions are “gifts” given to the church, not to individuals.

The grammatical structure makes this abundantly clear. Different individuals are “given” to the Body, in order that it may perform necessary functions. A careful perusal of the end of the I Cor.12 passage makes it obvious that the list Paul provided does NOT represent a hierarchy as some groups assume, but most likely the chronological order of the supply of those functions. Apostles, for example, were usually the ones who introduced Jesus and his Kingdom to a group. Prophets then explained and expanded the message, and often suggested practical applications of it (the offering for famine relief, for example) , teachers guided and guarded the flock, and equipped them for service in the many ways listed – not only to the group, but also to any people in need.

In neither the Ephesians nor the Corinthians passage are “gifts” represented as the possession of the persons exercising them. Nowhere are they said to have become the “property” of the individuals concerned. Contrary to popular assumptions, you do not “have” a “gift.” Nobody does. You ARE a gift to the portion of Jesus’ Body with which you are associated!

There have, on numerous occasions in the history of “churches” and “Christian teaching,” been campaigns in which people are urged/encouraged to identify “their gift” and put it to use in some vague category of “service.” “Which item on this list are you good at?” can be a very threatening – and exclusionary! — question. It is usually an attempt to fill some sort of empty “slots” in a predetermined hierarchical structure, and to exclude anything and anyone not already on the agenda. This is not a New Testament activity. “Gifts” are elevated or disparaged according to the biases of the “leadership”. Hapless souls are urged to choose among items on a codified list which is their “gift” as if it were a merit badge of some sort! Such exercises miss the point completely. The Biblical message is simply, that in a healthy Body, when a need arises, the Lord has a member of that Body available and empowered to minister to that need. These are not status symbols, or permanent assignments: they are simply the wherewithal to get a job done! If the Lord assigns a job outside the Body, He likewise provides one or more members with the ability to accomplish the task. These empowerments should never be viewed as status symbols or diplomas!! They are simply a delivery system to bring the power of God to bear upon the human situation! None of the “gifts” suggest any outstanding merit on the part of the person entrusted to deliver them, any more than the postman is responsible for what you get in the mail! The “gift” is from the Lord. The one who receives the “gift” is the person who needed it! Perhaps the person who delivered it is the “pony express”! Or maybe Fed-X or UPS.

Different individuals may serve different functions at different times. There is a very good reason why all this discussion leads directly into Paul’s better-known dissertation about “love.” That’s the only way it works!

The lists of “gifts” in the New Testament differ slightly, and none pretend to be exhaustive. None of them have anything whatever to do with natural talents nor learned abilities. They are no more and no less than the supernatural provision of God for the needs of his people.

“The manifestation of the Spirit is given to/through each one for everyone’s benefit.”

We are each set in the Body for a particular purpose in the plan of God, for the good of all the members. The Spirit hands out the assignments. We need only to be available.

Sadly, such usefulness is foreign to the experience of many, if not most, of the Lord’s people, who assume that a single individual needs to be “in charge.” As in our human bodies, parts that are immobilized or unused eventually become unusable. Weakness, disease, and even paralysis may result when a member gets no exercise in its intended work. There are many members in the Body of Christ in dire need of intensive “physical therapy” if they are ever to function as their Lord intends.

There were no bench-warming spectators in the New Testament church. “Church” was never intended to be a “spectator sport” where the vast majority are not participants but are reduced to being mere observers of a performance by a handful of professionals. A congregation is NOT an audience! In fact, in the functioning Corinthian church, everyone had so much to contribute that some regulation was necessary, in order that that their contributions could be shared in an orderly manner. The latter part of I Cor.14 provides a scenario for how this can work.

When the assembly comes together, EVERYONE is expected to bring “a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, a tongue, an interpretation” (v.26). Instructions are very specific, making provision that everyone’s contribution may be heard. And do not forget (v.29), the admonition that those listening must “judge” what has been said! Whenever a contribution of any kind is offered!

“For you can all prophesy, one at a time, in order that all may learn and all may be encouraged” (v.31). Is there any one among us so mature, so complete, that he no longer needs to learn or to be encouraged? And who is wise enough to predict from which brother or sister the needed lesson or encouragement might proceed? The emphasis is on the Body’s need for the ministry of EVERY brother and sister!

Perhaps we should set aside an extended time to discern together what each of us has been placed here for! In the New Testament church, responsibilities were assigned in many different ways. Here is a quick overview of some of them.

Jesus, of course, personally chose twelve of his disciples, and later 70 more, to whom he delegated the responsibility to “preach the Kingdom” ahead of his own arrival (Lk.10:1). After Pentecost, his methods were more varied.
Sometimes, as with the early (Ac.3 and 4) accounts of Peter and John, their assignment was simply a case of acting faithfully, when an opportunity arose, on the instructions they had been given years earlier (Lk.9:2, 10:9).

In Ac.6:1-6, the congregation perceived a need, and was instructed to suggest godly individuals to take care of it, who were then “appointed” by the apostles. Interestingly, at least two of these quickly “outgrew” their original assignment, with Stephen (ch.7) becoming a powerful advocate for “the Way”, and subsequently being martyred, and Philip (ch.8) becoming an itinerant evangelist.Philip’s case is interesting. His trip to Samaria may (or may not) have been on his own initiative, but after his successful mission there (8:26), a messenger instructed him to head for the Gaza road, and (v.29) the Spirit directed him to the Ethiopian’s chariot, and then (39-40) even “carried him off” after the assignment was completed! Perhaps in order to receive a “specific assignment” we need to be busy at the tasks we already perceive!

Ananias, on the other hand, (Ac.9:10-19) is introduced simply as “a certain disciple” – just one of the folks in Damascus. But the Lord spoke to him directly, in a vision. And although at first he argued about it, his obedience gifted all the rest of us, down through the centuries, with the ministry of Paul! We never hear of Ananias again. He just happened to be listening when the Lord needed to recruit someone.Peter also was busy (Ac.10) when the Lord directed Cornelius (by means of a “messenger”) to send for him. (A very simple investigation reveals that “messenger” and “angel” are totally random translations of the same word). Knowing that the assignment would give Peter cultural problems, the Spirit designed an object lesson, as well as explicit directions to respond to the summons. Wisely, Peter included other brethren as witnesses, who aided in responsibly reporting to challengers, later.Barnabas (Ac.11:22-26) was sent by the apostles to Antioch, to check out the gathering there. He had already established a reputation for gracious faithfulness (4:36, 9:27). He seems to have recruited Saul on his own initiative (v.25).
We are not told how Agabus (Ac.11:28, 21:10) became known as a prophet, but his word was taken seriously by the group at Antioch, who immediately organized famine relief. Paul later refused his counsel, but his prophecy proved to be correct.

Then of course, there is Saul/Paul. It is important to note that not all of his instructions were as dramatic as his Damascus Road encounter with Jesus (Ac.9). I don’t know why so many folks seem to think that is the one that should be normative. After he was committed to the Lord, it did not require such drastic measures to get his attention! The congregation at Damascus (9:24-45) sheltered, accepted, and nurtured Saul, and helped him escape the city. Barnabas enabled his acceptance by the other apostles (v.27). The Holy Spirit spoke to the prayer meeting in Antioch (Ac.13), to commission their first journey, and they were sent out by both the group (v.3) and the Spirit (v.4). During the trips, however, the “leading” seems to have been more a matter of necessity! When they were run out of one town, they went on to the next! The account of the second journey is interesting. The second trip was undertaken at Paul’s own initiative (Ac.15:36-41), and the Lord is neither blamed nor credited for the argument with Barnabas that resulted in their separation.
Wouldn’t you like to know how they were “forbidden by the Holy Spirit” to preach in Asia, and how “the spirit of Jesus would not allow” their next attempt, to Bithynia? It was only after these frustrations, that Paul “saw a vision” and his group “concluded that God had called” them to Macedonia. Interestingly, we are told that it was simply Paul’s annoyance (16:18) that precipitated the healing of the fortune-teller. Later, another vision reassured him of the Lord’s protection in Corinth.

Honesty requires the conclusion that there are more questions than answers in the latest Acts account. After two years in Ephesus (19:21), Paul “set out in the Spirit” to go through Macedonia and Achaia to Jerusalem. Both of those are in the opposite direction from Jerusalem. He was warned of trouble by many brethren (20:22, 21:4, 21:10), but consistently rejected their counsel. Yet later he took the advice (21:18-26) of the elders in Jerusalem, which resulted in his arrest and imprisonment. Please note that in no case are any of these decisions attributed to “God’s will”! It is presented simply as narrative. Those who claim to explain it as “God’s plan” cannot draw any direct evidence from the New Testament. It is clear, however, that the power of God was entirely adequate to use what may have been mistakes, or even just stubbornness on the part of his devoted servant Paul, for his good purposes. This should be an encouragement to us all!

Other disciples did allow themselves to be “led” by the counsel of brethren. Paul recruited both Timothy (Ac.16:3), who was highly recommended by his home congregation, as an assistant and apprentice, and Silas, (Ac.15:40) who shared his second journey.Paul and Barnabas “appointed elders” (Ac.14:3) in every new congregation, and urged Titus (Tit.1:5) to do likewise.
From Corinth, where he had met and worked with Aquila and Priscilla (Ac.18:1-3), Paul took them along to Ephesus, (18:18), where they in turn corrected the teaching of Apollos, preparing him for more responsible service, to which the Ephesian brethren subsequently recommended him.

I know this is just a fly-by survey: the point is, we are all in this game together! And the Lord graciously manages to make use of our sometimes – or maybe often – bumbling efforts to be faithful.
So we must continually be asking, asking ourselves, and one another, “Why are you/we here?”

What do I need to learn from you or you from me?

What can we do or be together that none of us can do or be alone?

Let’s help each other, both to ask, and to answer, such questions in faithfulness!

]]>https://pioneernt.com/2018/09/09/why-are-you-here/feed/0ruthpmartinRedemption: “Get-out-of-jail free”, or “Under New Management”?https://pioneernt.com/2018/04/08/redemption-get-out-of-jail-free-or-under-new-management/
https://pioneernt.com/2018/04/08/redemption-get-out-of-jail-free-or-under-new-management/#commentsSun, 08 Apr 2018 20:28:27 +0000http://pioneernt.com/?p=1433The following was prepared for our small fellowship. After its presentation, I was severely taken to task for failing to parrot some “doctrines” of a “statement of faith” advocated by a member. I welcome any New Testament based comments.

Redemption:“Get out of Jail Free” or “Under New Management”?

In spite of the fact that the Easter season, and indeed, every Sunday!, is supposed to celebrate Jesus’ glorious triumph over death by his resurrection, and, as I have pointed out previously, his complete superiority over everything that once separated earnest worshipers from God, demonstrated by the destruction of the temple veil, far too many people still choose to focus most of their attention on self-flagellation for having supposedly “caused” his suffering and death – often mistakenly calling it “redemption” – despite the fact that JESUS NEVER SAID THAT! I would challenge anyone to find one single place where he did! These are entirely separate concepts. The former (the definitive defeat of death and the opening of access to God) are well documented in the gospels and the epistles; and the latter (assuming personal, individual responsibility for causing Jesus’ suffering and death) is completely absent from both gospels and epistles. I am not quite ready to join the “red-letter Christians” who accept only direct quotations of Jesus, but I do consider those to be of greater authority than anything else.

People exacerbate this problem by continually lamenting what they represent as the dreadful “cost” or “price” of their “redemption”, which they interpret to require yet another mournful excursion into their own “unworthiness” or “sinfulness”, for which the slightest infraction is assumed to “deserve” capital punishment! I have yet to be shown a single culture in the whole world that imposes a death penalty for every misstep!

This was certainly NEVER the focus of either Jesus or any of the New Testament writers. I think, choosing the most charitable option, that its prevalence probably grows, at least in part, out of at the very least a gross misunderstanding, if not deliberate ignorance, of the original words connected with the concept of “redemption.” It is my hope that, by considering this topic, we may recover (or discover) some of both the beautiful wonder and the serious responsibility that is implicit in the concept of “redemption”.

In order to do this, it is necessary to correct our understanding of several terms that have been seriously distorted by what passes for “Christian teaching”.
Let’s start with a common phrase that is frequently used of a person who exerts tremendous effort toward a goal – any goal. When you hear that someone has “given his life” to the pursuit of a cure for a particular disease, do you assume that he died in the course of his work?
Or when an investigator lectures about the scientific, historical or archaeological discoveries to which he has “given his life” – Is he dead?
Then when Jesus clearly states (in Mt.20:28) that his own purpose “to serve, and to give his life as a ransom” is supposed to be a model for theservice to one another that he expects of his followers (who at the time of that conversation were jockeying for positions of power and honor), why do you assume that he is referring to his death, instead of to his selfless life? Context, as usual, is critical to the understanding of any statement.

Similar misunderstandings surround the word translated “redemption” and “ransom” (both of which are used by English translators, to represent the SAME Greek word). Although another word – the one commonly used for the ordinary commerce of buying and selling – occurs in a few places, the principal one is represented by both English translations. Classically, it refers primarily to the ransom of prisoners of war, who had been enslaved by a conquering nation (in this case, Rome), which was common practice in many ancient cultures.

Nobody in the first century had to ask the meaning of the word “slavery” or “slave”. The concept was painfully familiar. The word “doulos”, although often translated “servant”, almost always referred to slavery, regardless of whether it described one born into bondage, a person captured as a prisoner of war, or a child sold by indigent parents. Slaves were wholly owned possessions of their masters, even though some held positions of great responsibility, or were even officially adopted into the master’s family. It was also not uncommon for a faithful slave to be set free, either by his master’s generosity, by having earned and purchased his freedom, or by having been “redeemed” or purchased by someone else.

Insight into the varied status and responsibilities of slaves is available throughout the New Testament: for example, notably,
Mt.8:9 – they do what they are told
Mt. 13:27 – they refer problems or uncertainty to the master, and receive instructions, which they are then expected to follow.

There are many others. I highly recommend to you the exercise of scanning the gospels for other examples. In doing so, remember that “servant” and “slave” represent the same original word.
Paul makes an eloquent case in Romans 6:16-20 that a person is a servant/slave to whomever or whatever he chooses to obey.Autonomy is not an option: never was, never will be.

Under Roman law, a redeemed slave could not only gain his freedom, but could even acquire Roman citizenship, which gave him many legal rights and privileges not available to others.
People “redeemed” by Jesus are also eligible for citizenship in his Kingdom! But sadly, not all accept that generous offer.

Please notice (and confirm by searching the New Testament) that neither slavery nor ransom from that condition has anything whatever to do with “offenses”! People convicted of wrongdoing were beaten, imprisoned, and sometimes executed, but not enslaved. Likewise, it has nothing to do with “sacrifice” – another word, incidentally, which JESUS NEVER USED in reference to himself or to anything he did. Check it out – using a genuine translation, not a paraphrased version, of the New Testament. The six uses of the word “sacrifice” in the gospels are never applied to Jesus, and the majority of the uses in the epistles refer to idol worship, or the formerly required Jewish temple rituals.

Notice also that “redemption”, also occasionally represented by the word for simple purchase, does NOT confer total autonomy! Far from the much-trumpeted concept of escape from the consequences of bad behavior (the “Get out of Jail Free” card in your Monopoly game), “redemption” represents simply a change of ownership: no more and no less.

Here is the beginning of an impressive list of oppressors from which our Lord has “bought” or “redeemed” his people:
Gal.3:13 and 4:5 – the curse and bondage of the Law
Titus 2:14 – ALL lawlessness
1 Peter 1:18 – the empty /futile ways of our ancestors (the only reference to “blood” – and that is connected to the Passover, the feast of freedom from bondage, and nothing else).
Ephesians 1:7 – our transgressions
Colossians 1:14 – our failures
and you can find many more. Please note that the latter two, “transgressions” and “failures”, which many people prefer to lump together and label “sins”, (although the New Testament does not), are literally “taken away”, not simply overlooked, and certainly not “forgotten”.

Using slightly different vocabulary, Paul reminds the folks in Colossae, “He (God) has delivered (rescued) us from the power of darkness, and has transplanted us into the Kingdom of his beloved Son!” (1:13)

Those whom Jesus has “redeemed” have been graciously offered citizenship in his Kingdom! But please remember that citizenship entails BOTH privilege and responsibility.
Paul’s reminder to the Romans, mentioned earlier, is still very much in effect: we are servants/slaves to whatever power we choose to obey!!

Do not forget that redemption is much more than mere escape from negative things and circumstances! The deliverance described in Col. 1:13 is into the Kingdom of the Son of God!
It includes (Rom.3:24) being made (not merely “considered”) just (which is the same word that some folks call “righteous”), (Rom.8:24) being adopted as sons of God, and having been set apart as the possession of the Lord Jesus (I Cor.1:30 and Eph.1:14),by his seal of ownership, the Holy Spirit, who alone is able to make kingdom living possible for us mere mortals! It’s about life – not “after you die”!

On a practical level, having been “bought” by our Master, it is reasonable to expect (I Cor.6:30) that we become eager to reflect honor upon him; (I Cor. 7:23) that we refuse to allow ourselves to become enslaved to anything or anyone else; and (II Peter 2:1) that we make every effort not to deny or discredit him in any way. For all the “redeemed” there is one single assignment: reflecting, however imperfectly, the whole personality of the One who has redeemed us. Such an assignment assumes that our lives will be radically altered, in order to represent him correctly and faithfully!

This is a concept that is often ignored in groups today that label themselves “welcoming”. It is perfectly true that all are indeed welcome, regardless of their previous situation or condition – but all must also be changed! Not a single aspect of our life is exempt! We are under new management!
The question “Can you be a Christian if you –-?” (fill in the blank with your currently preferred no-no) is totally irrelevant.

There exists no check-list of qualifications or requirements, after which we can relax. The re-direction of our lives is an assignment that lasts for our entire lifetime! If we choose to accept citizenship in Jesus’ Kingdom, as ransomed, redeemed people, we will NEVER outgrow our need for course-corrections! Our whole life needs a total overhaul to conform to his ways. It must be obviously and always “under new management”!

Even if this were “all there is”, the condition of those so “redeemed” would be glorious! But there is more! In Eph.1:4, the Holy Spirit is described as simply the “down-payment” on the inheritance of the folks redeemed from every nation and tongue, to enable our faithfulness until, with those gathered around his throne, we celebrate the final triumph of the King! What a day that will be!

You may have noticed that there is one question that we have not addressed: “To whom was the ransom owed or paid?” This is neither oversight nor deliberate avoidance. The reason for its lack is simple: Although centuries of “theologians”, preachers, and teachers of many persuasions have adamantly (and often arrogantly) proclaimed the accuracy of their theories, The New Testament itself does not speak to that issue. Since this is a New Testament study, I will not presume to do so, either.

Our attention can much more profitably be focused upon faithfully seeking to fulfill the purpose of the One who has redeemed us for himself!

He has graciously provided us with very clear instructions for that effort, the resource of the power of his Holy Spirit to teach and enable us, and the supportive companionship of each other, with whom to learn to demonstrate his style of living, “under new management!”

Thanks be to God!

]]>https://pioneernt.com/2018/04/08/redemption-get-out-of-jail-free-or-under-new-management/feed/2ruthpmartinWord Study #206 — “Religion”https://pioneernt.com/2018/03/20/word-study-206-religion/
https://pioneernt.com/2018/03/20/word-study-206-religion/#commentsTue, 20 Mar 2018 18:36:46 +0000http://pioneernt.wordpress.com/?p=1431This study was precipitated by a conversation with a dear friend who was summarily excluded from a forum on “Science and Religion”. He had not attacked either “side”, but simply pointed out that the two purported opposites are concerned with different questions, and therefore use different approaches, and come up with different answers.

Another brother pointed out that various “religions”, also, address different questions and therefore come up with different answers: Buddhism, he suggested, seeks the path that leads to the cessation of human suffering; Taoism seeks to know how man can live in harmony with nature; Confucianism seeks how to create an orderly society. All of these may well be legitimate questions, the answers to which will understandably produce different results, both theoretical and practical. Some view Christianity as attempting to describe the fundamental nature of God, or man’s relationship to him. This has been the “playing field” for all sorts of theological speculation, often producing more heat than light.

It occurred to me that I could not recall that the New Testament spoke to the subject of “religious questions” at all, so I decided to investigate. You may be as surprised as I was, to find that the term “religion” appears, even in the traditional KJV, only three times as a noun, and once as an adjective. The only other use of the original term is once translated “worshiping”. Even more interesting is the observation that all but one of these (Ac.26:5, Jas.1:26 – 2x; and Col.2:18) have a distinctly negative flavor. Only in Jas.1:27 is there any hint of commendation!

Do we perhaps need to recognize that for those who choose to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, “religion” has very little if anything to offer?

This question is enhanced when one turns to the classical dictionaries.

Bauer (Arndt and Gingerich) concurs, with “religious service or cult”.

Thayer points out a connection with the verb treo, “to tremble with fear”, and includes the observation that the rituals referenced constitute efforts to appease the anger of the gods!

Do you recall any instance of Jesus himself advocating such a need? Interestingly, the word “religion” does not appear a single time in any of the four gospels!
Jesus did have a lot to say about the reasons for his coming. Please refer to Word Study #23 for a summary of these. He said absolutely nothing about either “answering questions” or “appeasing an angry god”!

Instead, he graciously invited people to enlist in the Kingdom that he had come to establish! Please see Word Study #172, and the little book, Citizens of the Kingdom for more on this subject.

Regarding the word threskeia, traditionally translated “religion”:

In Ac.26:5, Paul describes his former life as having carefully followed the Jewish “religion”

In Col.2:18, he remarks upon the futility of the pagan “worshiping of angels”

James (1:26) speaks of the folly of arrogantly considering oneself “religious” while ignoring the needs of others.

Only in Jas.1:27 is the term “religion” redefined as involving one’s response to the needs of those in distress, and avoiding the uncaring ways of the “world” – the uncommitted.

In the light of this study, I am about ready to conclude that although “Christianity” (another term that does not appear in the New Testament — although “Christian” is used once to describe the folks at Antioch) as it is commonly represented, might indeed fit the classical definitions of “religion”, genuinely following Jesus in one’s life assuredly does NOT.

I submit that Jesus did NOT come to “start a new religion,” or to appease an angry God. (Just ask him! See his own statements in W.S.#23, or even better, dig them out for yourself!)

He came rather to inaugurate his welcoming Kingdom, where all sorts and conditions of people are invited to come and have their lives transformed (See Word Study #97) to serve his purposes in the world!

]]>https://pioneernt.com/2018/03/20/word-study-206-religion/feed/1ruthpmartinWord Study introductionhttps://pioneernt.com/2018/01/22/word-study-introduction/
https://pioneernt.com/2018/01/22/word-study-introduction/#respondMon, 22 Jan 2018 16:40:15 +0000http://pioneernt.wordpress.com/?p=1429This was presented to our fellowship on Jan.21, 2018, for the benefit of folks who were considering a word study class. It is an enhanced combination of essays you may have seen on this site, but we thought some might find it useful. It also includes a description of the classes themselves.

We are very fortunate to have many languages represented in our small fellowship. We began with readings from Psalm 119 regarding the “word” of God, and then the first couple sentences from John 1 in each of the languages represented. It was fascinating to learn that “word” did not mean the same thing to all of them. For some, it was simply information. For some, it applied only to speech. For others it could be spoken or written. For others, a specific message. This alone was a strong message that understanding is essential!

Introduction to Word Study for GMF, Jan.21, 2018

You may have noticed that all of these have one thing in common: they all involve or imply COMMUNICATION!

From the very beginning, God has been trying to communicate with his people, even going so far as to apply “word” to himself! They needed instructions on how to handle the life that he had given them. They needed to get acquainted! In all the accounts of God’s calls to various individuals throughout history, a common theme has been to come out of the prevailing culture – some of which were very highly developed – and become a new people that would be peculiarly set apart for God’s purposes! It was only logical that this would require some instructions. Why is that such a strange concept for today’s church?

Characteristic is God’s statement about Abraham (who is believed to have come from Sumer – where writing may have been originally developed) in Genesis 18 – “I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord.” There were of course no written instructions at that time, and the results were spotty. But by the time Moses came along, principles were recorded, and expected to be taught and observed. The summary in Deuteronomy includes the admonition that every family was to teach its children every day. This was – and is – too serious a responsibility to be left to a few individuals. Everyone had to be involved.

As time went on, though, an ecclesiastical hierarchy took over many of the responsibilities that were initially supposed to belong to every person, and things disintegrated seriously. During the whole chaotic period of the Judges, not a single mention is made of “the word of the Lord.” There were a few good leaders, but they did not return God’s Word into the hands of the people, and reforms did not outlast the men who started them. The later historical books record many reform movements, but only four reached very far. In the reforms instituted by Josiah, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah, it is pointed out that Levites were sent throughout the kingdom to teach all the people the principles that had been neglected. These reform efforts lasted longer. Joash, however, the little-boy king, depended upon the priest Jehoiada for his instructions and his reforms fell apart as soon as his mentor died. Depending upon a single person, however faithful, is a recipe for disaster!

It is no accident that the Reformation came on the heels of Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press, which made the Bible accessible to many more people than previously. All the reformers began by comparing the institution they knew to the descriptions they saw in Scripture. They differed in how far they were willing to go to recover the original vision. This was the primary conflict between Zwingli and the Swiss Brethren in Zurich. Tyndale, Wycliffe and others gave their lives to making the message available to ALL. A couple centuries later, the Wesleyan revivals started in “lay”-led Bible classes. The term “lay” comes from the Greek “laos”, which simply means “people” – NOT “clergy”, which designation is not found a single time in the New Testament.

This, then, is the goal of Word Study: to put the Word of God into the hands of his ordinary people. That is the ONLY way that we will enjoy a renewed, revived and faithful church. We dare to believe that if ordinary folks who desire to be faithful above all else, have access to the wonders of that Word, wonderful things can happen again. Notice that in the Ps.119 readings, the suppliant asks to “understand” in order to obey.

Words are funny things. Although they are essential for communication, they can nevertheless confuse as much as they clarify. Words encompass far more than their “lexical meanings” – a term used by linguists to refer to formal dictionary definitions. Connotations, implications, and shades of meaning, differ widely, depending upon the perspectives of the speaker/writer and the hearer/reader, which may, or may not, be similar.

Our understanding of words is heavily dependent upon context. If I use the word “drive”, for example, how do you know if I am referring to operating a car – collecting funds – playing or watching golf or baseball – a very hard rain – hammering a nail – intense ambition – basic physical needs – a gadget on my computer – or a host of other things? English is particularly bad at that. Only context can give you a clue.

When one moves between languages, the situation becomes even more complicated. There is seldom a one-to-one correspondence between any two words in any two languages. If one tries to translate “literally”, how is he to choose among all these possible “meanings”?

Cultural convention, likewise, affects the “flavor” of what is understood by certain words. This varies over time. In the 1950’s, for example, the heyday of the McCarthy persecutions, “red” was no longer simply a color. It was a dangerous – even life-threatening – accusation!

Also, any currently spoken language is constantly changing. Consider as an example that is not theologically “loaded”, that in Elizabethan English, the word “quick” meant “alive”, and not “fast, sudden, or rapid”. “The quick and the dead”, therefore, meant “the living and the dead”, and not, as some would have it, “the two kinds of pedestrians in city traffic”!

All of these considerations and others come into play when applied to the study of Scripture. Over the years, many “definitions” or understandings have become codified into “doctrines” which have become in turn weapons in the battle for “orthodoxy”. Subsequent “translations”, (many of which are merely paraphrases, the writer’s opinion of what the text means, not what it says),assorted “Bible dictionaries”, and “chain references” have then incorporated these standardized understandings, without any reference whatever to the freight carried by the words and grammatical structures chosen by the original writers. Many “proofs” are derived entirely from English texts, without regard for their departure from the source documents. Accurate understanding depends upon trying to hear what was communicated to the first readers!

The basic principle of word study is simple linguistics: One learns best to understand the meaning of a word by observing everycontext in which it is used. That’s how you learned to talk! When your toddler is learning to talk, you don’t hand him a dictionary! You point, and demonstrate. You “show and tell.” That is also the best way to learn to understand any language!

Why does the first-hand understanding of the meaning of words matter? There are hosts of writers and speakers who are ready, willing, and eager to tell you what “the Bible says!” in order to add muscle to their particular interpretations of Scripture. There are all sort of footnotes, commentaries, dictionaries, and study guides, and literally hundreds of English translations and paraphrases. So why bother?

Well, which of those are you going to believe? They do NOT all carry the same message! Whom do you trust to choose your path, when all these “authorities” do not agree? Some differences are minor, but some are very serious. How do you evaluate what you hear or read? DO you evaluate it? Does it really require a “leader”, be he scholar, pastor, minister, deacon, bishop, or whatever other honorific title with a string of fancy degrees that a person claims, to understand the Lord’s instructions for his people?

As our good brother Paul pointed out, when God chose to call out people for himself, “he did not choose the wise and learned” but very ordinary folks. In fact, depending which historian you listen to, anywhere from 70 to 90% of the members of the New Testament church were enslaved political prisoners from Roman conquests in many areas, many of whom were probably illiterate! Yet they spread Jesus’ message throughout the known world! They created a brotherhood that changed the world, and the lives of everyone they touched!

So why study words? The process of word study, and even the original Greek language, are neither ends in themselves, nor weapons with which to clobber anyone who espouses other views. They are simply tools which may be used to better understand “the wealth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God” that is made available to his people in Jesus Christ. They are directions for our journey – the GPS, if you will, for the Kingdom!

Why study words?
The purpose is
NOT to pontificate, prove, or insist upon a particular “doctrine”
NOT as an intellectual exercise to inflate our egos
NOT to find answers to all of our questions.

But it DOES/will
– aid in discernment of what is and is not trustworthy scholarship, commentary, or instructions
– enrich our appreciation of all that we are offered in Christ
– enable our obedience to our Lord, as it increases our understanding.

It will definitely rattle many people’s comfortable cages. No one can honestly face the New Testament without having his preconceived notions challenged.
None of us is big enough, or smart enough, to understand and encompass all of the Lord’s truth. We need each other’s insight and encouragement.
Remember that it is HIS – the LORD’S — opinion that matters – not ours.

Keep these assumptions in mind:
1. God INTENDS – has always intended – to reveal himself. He has never tried to be obscure. That’s why “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” in the first place!

2. The New Testament was written for ordinary people. You and I are just as ordinary as they were.

3. We have Jesus’ word that “If anyone wants to do the Father’s will, he will know…..” That’s the ONLY “prerequisite” for success in the study. But it is non-negotiable.

4. Rightly used, the New Testament itself is its own best commentary.

5. The only genuine “expert” is your brother or sister who has spent many years working at being faithful to the Lord.

If you would like to learn this approach to Biblical study, we would enjoy making it available.

]]>https://pioneernt.com/2018/01/22/word-study-introduction/feed/0ruthpmartinLeadership in the New Testament Churchhttps://pioneernt.com/2017/09/19/leadership-in-the-new-testament-church/
https://pioneernt.com/2017/09/19/leadership-in-the-new-testament-church/#respondWed, 20 Sep 2017 00:00:27 +0000http://pioneernt.wordpress.com/?p=1425This was a message prepared for a small group of the Lord’s people whose insightful and careful leader is being lost to retirement and other volunteer work. The group is seeking direction. There is denominational pressure toward “standard” patterns, but some are concerned that the New Testament- style we have been choosing could be lost in such a situation. Perhaps it will be helpful to others who are in a similar dilemma.

Leadership in the Church

Many, if not most of us have chosen to be at GMF precisely because it is NOT like other “church” groups that we have encountered. We need to keep this in mind as we discuss and attempt to discern “What now?” as Jim and Ruth have felt led to move on. Who we are, and who we choose to become, will both affect and be affected by that decision.

It is fairly easy, for example, to observe whether the primary loyalty of a group is to a “kingdom of this world” or the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus, if, as soon as you walk in the door, you observe that an idolatrous national symbol adorns their “center of worship.”
It is similarly easy to discern a group’s “definition of church” by the titles and the deference accorded to their “leadership”. When well-meaning people responded to the news that we were “looking for a church” with an enthusiastic “Oh, you should come listen to our preacher (or minister, or pastor, or bishop, or choir, or worship team)”, we knew immediately that we would NOT find the fellowship we were seeking there. An “audience” at a “performance” is not our definition of “church.”

When, years after a couple of earlier abortive visits, we visited GMF again, we saw something quite different, and very rare. We saw a group trying to function as a brotherhood. And for better or worse, here we are.

More than 60 years ago, I had been attracted to a small group at college who were trying to become a brotherhood informed by and copied after the New Testament. It has been a long and often futile effort. I have never understood why folks who say they follow Jesus pay so little attention to the only source of reliable information about his instructions! Seems like that should be a no-brainer! It is only in the New Testament that we can find any reliable record of the transformation of a wildly diverse assortment of people into the “Body of Christ” – the Kingdom of God!

These folks knew they had become involved in a drastically different new life. Teaching was crucial, in order to learn how this new life was to operate. Fellowship, the sharing of their lives, provided the context for practical experience in Kingdom living. “Wonders and signs” accompanied the message, but the greatest wonder of all was the transformation of those thousands of individuals into a cohesive brotherhood.

Recently, Jim has done a beautiful job of describing some of the challenges of becoming the Body that the Lord intends for his people. In fact, the decision to be joined to the Body of Christ should be the last individual decision of a person’s life! From then on, he is no longer a single individual, but a part of a larger whole, a member of the Body. Alone, a hand, a foot, an eye, an ear, can neither survive, nor fulfill its intended purpose. It can’t even be properly related to the Head, without the necessary connecting parts! A finger is of no use unless it is connected to a hand, which is utterly dependent upon an arm, and thence to a shoulder — were each individual part connected directly to the head, the result would not be a body, but a monstrosity! “Just Jesus and me” does not work! Only together can his people become an extension of his presence in the world. Stanley Hauerwas posed a crucial question: “Can we so order our life together that the world might look at us and know that God has been busily at work?”

Probably the most detailed instructions in this regard are in Paul’s letter to Ephesus. He speaks of various functional persons being given to the church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers — PLEASE NOTICE THAT THESE ARE ALL PLURAL!!! – for the purpose of “equipping the saints (that’s everybody, folks!) for works of service!!!” THESE ARE NOT OFFICIALS who do all the work or give orders to the others. They are ENABLERS, who teach and create opportunities for the rest, properly to represent their Lord in the world! (Jim has accepted this responsibility as skillfully as anyone I have ever seen! But there is only one of him. The church needs many, many more.)

This is the context in which the various “spiritual gifts” are found, and in which they are intended to function. That is another subject that we should study carefully, but there is not time today. For our present purpose, the message is simply that in a healthy Body, whenever a need arises, the Lord has a member of that Body available and empowered to minister to that need. If the Lord assigns a job outside the Body, he likewise provides one or more members with the ability to accomplish that task. These empowerments are not diplomas, titles, or status symbols, and certainly not hired positions; they are simply the wherewithal to get a job done. They constitute a delivery system, bringing the power of God to bear upon the human situation.

The life of the Lord Jesus will not flow through a Body whose fragments are all rushing off in different directions, taking their cues from some flamboyant “leader” other than the Head. His life will not flow through a body whose parts are atrophied from disuse. The Body will grow, mature, and become what the Lord intends only when all its parts are working TOGETHER, sharing with one another all that he has entrusted or revealed to each of them. EVERYONE IS INDISPENSABLE, if we learn rightly to “discern the Body.”

Is it necessary to assume, then, with all the Biblical emphasis on the contribution of every member, that no leadership in the conventional sense is needed, required or welcome in the Body of Christ? By no means! Leadership has not been eliminated: it has simply been redefined. True, there are no positions of dominance, prestige or power in a faithful Body. But there are many needs for leadership on the part of those who see their task as simply fulfilling one of many functions and not as a position of status or domination.

This orientation of the Kingdom, of course, was as diametrically opposed to the prevailing cultures of the first century as it is those of our own.

The Jewish and pagan religious systems had a surprising amount of common ground. In both, the ordinary person was denied the privilege to approach his god directly. The office of a priest-intermediary was required. After all, one had to be frightfully careful: a mistake could offend the deity, and result in disaster. People were familiar with the Old Testament stories of death and disaster coming upon those who dared to come too close. Pagan priests also held a tight rein on their constituencies. They ruled by dint of their esoteric knowledge and trickery shared only with their own initiates.

The gods had to be appeased, and only the priests knew how to mollify them. We saw in an earlier study how in the Jewish temple, a heavy veil was used to exclude ordinary folks from the presence of God, and how that veil of separation was utterly destroyed at the moment of Jesus’ death. For citizens of Jesus’ Kingdom, THE VEIL IS TAKEN AWAY once and forever!

Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus has chosen to speak TO and THROUGH ALL of his people!

In practical terms, this means that ALL of the secrecy and exclusion common in the surrounding religions is totally out of order for the people of God – even – or especially – when it is enshrined in “official” structures like denominations or conferences! The New Testament, by contrast, is replete with examples of people who, entrusted with roles of leadership, went to great pains to be certain that everything was done with the utmost integrity. From every congregation that contributed to the relief offering for Judea, Paul took along a representative to ensure its safe delivery. Peter, even tho called and specifically instructed by the Holy Spirit, took along brethren from Joppa as witnesses when he visited Cornelius. After each missionary journey, Paul and his co-workers reported back to their sending congregation at Antioch. Free-lancing was not and is not the mark of faithful leadership.

Neither is taking personal credit for what the Lord does. Very early, Peter and John had opportunity for a “glory trip” after the healing of a lame man in the temple. They overtly rejected the plaudits of the crowd,, and attributed the event to the resurrection power of Jesus. Paul and Barnabas reacted the same way to the worship offered them at Lystra (Ac.14).

There will – there must – be leadership in the Kingdom. But faithful leaders will take care that there be NO VEIL – total openness, total honesty, and the complete absence of any shred of secrecy or manipulation, is absolutely necessary.

Another safeguard which helped prevent any abuse of authority is the consistent pattern that every assignment, every “office” in the N.T. church is always spoken of in the PLURAL. In every group, apostles appointed local elders (plural) to supervise the new brotherhood. Eph.4:11 lists apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers (ALL PLURAL) who are to facilitate the ministries of ALL THE SAINTS. And even a cursory study of that term reveals that “saints” consistently refers, not to individuals of superior power or holiness, but to ALL the people of God. There is no hint of expectation that all the jobs in any given congregation will be filled by one or two individuals hired to “run” the church. In a faithful colony of the Kingdom, NOBODY IS OVERWORKED!! If in any congregation or denomination someone is overloaded with responsibility, then someone else – probably many ‘someone else’s’– are being cheated out of the privilege to be active in the King’s service. THE PRIMARY JOB OF ANYONE IN LEADERSHIP IS TO SEE THAT THE BODY BENEFITS FROM THE CONTRIBUTION OF EVERY BROTHER AND SISTER!!!!! The second is to be busily training his replacement.

Jesus himself had sharply defined the function of leadership in the Matthew passage we read this morning, and strictly forbidden the use of any honorary titles or deferential treatment of anyone filling ANY role. The lesson was apparently learned so well that at this distance it is difficult to determine who had what responsibilities. Steven, for example, chosen for deacon work in caring for widows, became a powerful preacher. Paul’s letters refer to “apostles” (using both male and female names) of whom Acts bear no record. Philip, also starting out as a deacon, was later known as an evangelist. The concern clearly was getting the work done, not in handing out certificates of merit or protecting anyone’s “turf”.

Jesus had stated it very clearly: “You have one Teacher and you are all brothers.” Different people may be in charge of directing different aspects of Kingdom work, but NO ONE INDIVIDUAL IS IN CHARGE!

In fact there is only one NT reference to one person being “in charge” of a local group – In III Jn.9-10 Diotrephes is chastised for speaking against elder apostles, loving to be first, refusing to welcome other brethren, in short, “running the show.”

No leader must ever be beyond challenge. Paul reported to the Galatian church about his encounter with Peter, when Peter stood in need of correction. On several other occasions he challenged the “pedigree game” and deliberately rejected the “value” of his own.

How then were assignments made? In many different ways.Saul, who was used to giving orders, was introduced to his new role by Ananias, an obscure disciple in Damascus, who is never mentioned again. Ananias’ obedience to the Lord, however was a link in the chain that gifted the world with the ministry of Paul. Later, Barnabas took him in hand and encouraged the other apostles to accept the authenticity of his conversion. How much poorer would we be, had these two not acted in faithfulness!Matthias (Ac.1) was chosen by lot at the initiative of the first disciples, after the congregation had chosen two nominees.The deacons were selected by the entire congregation, to minister to an unmet need among them. The twelve, who obviously exercised a degree of authority, did not act threatened or defensive when the oversight was called to their attention. They did not call a private “ministers meeting”. They threw the issue back to those who had perceived the problem, and said, in effect, “you’re right: find some qualified folks to do the job!”Prophets (plural) and teachers (also plural) in Antioch were enjoying a prayer meeting when the Holy Spirit spoke, directing them to call Paul and Barnabas for a special assignment.At Lystra, Paul met a promising young man and invited Timothy to join the work.

The method of selection does not seem to have mattered.But please notice, that IN NO INSTANCE was a permanent or even a temporary title conferred upon anyone. Jesus had forbidden that!!! Each was simply called to perform a needed function!

In view of the importance of function a look at the system in action may be helpful. A good example is the account in Acts 15. The Gentile brethren in Antioch were being hassled by some self-appointed “defenders of the faith”. The troublemakers had not come with the endorsement of the brotherhood, but on their own initiative. Discussions became heated. Consequently, the church commissioned Paul and Barnabas and some others who are not listed, to take the matter to the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, who were apparently serving in a supervisory capacity. Their choice is described by the same word that is translated “ordain” in other contexts. Sent by the church, they set out, reporting as they went the work of God in calling Gentiles into his Body.

In Jerusalem, they met with “the church, the apostles, and the elders.” As they repeated their report, some folks objected: likely either the ones who had caused the problem, or some of their cohorts. At this point, (perhaps there was too much commotion to make any sense out of things!) the apostles and elders gathered to study the matter. BEFORE A JUDGMENT WAS MADE, however, ALL THE ASSEMBLY (literally “all the multitude”) listened to the testimony. In an eloquent demonstration of New Testament leadership, James summarized the argument, related it to Biblical precedent, and recommended a solution. “Then it seemed good to the apostles and elders AND THE WHOLE CHURCH, having chosen men from among them, to send them to Antioch…” Their letter speaks of “having come to one mind”, and confidently reports “It seemed right to the Holy Spirit and to us.”

Here is New Testament leadership at its best: hearing all sides, bringing them face to face, and helping them to a Scriptural consensus that results in “great rejoicing” among the brethren. THERE WAS NO CLOSED DOOR MEETING OF AN HIERARCHICAL IN-GROUP, but simply open sharing of perceived light among the citizens of the Kingdom.

Clearly, there will – there MUST – be leadership. That is to be neither lamented nor celebrated, neither sought nor avoided, but carefully controlled, and conformed, not to the pattern of the world with its executives, flow charts and committees, but to the model of our Servant King. In the Kingdom, all the citizens function together, in obedience to their ONE leader, each filling the role assigned to him at the moment, in the power of God, in faithfulness and joy.

I will begin to address this topic with our favorite teacher’s favorite question: “Well, what did you find?” I hope some of you did your “homework” and have some ideas to contribute.
(This was followed with responses by people who had looked up a few references as requested ahead of time, most of which were properly focused on the word “church” in Scripture).

This is not at all what I “grew up with”. My family usually “went to church” – a weekly visit to a large, gray stone building where you had to dress up (heels and stockings, hat, and gloves!) and be quiet. Children did not go to “big church”, but to “Sunday School” where you heard stories, sang songs, memorized a few psalms and other “verses”, and dressed up in bathrobes and long nightgowns (with cardboard crowns and tinsel halos) for a yearly “Christmas program”. In early teens, you “joined the church”, after which you were expected to sit quietly and listen to the skilled, hired choir, organist and preacher. I did not meet Jesus there.

I only encountered people who were serious about following Jesus after I went to college. I found the way they studied the New Testament, interacted, looked out for each other, and included me, fascinating and attractive. From these fellow-students, I learned that our most genuine need was to focus on trying to become the kind of disciples that the New Testament described. It was several years and (thankfully) in another context before I was subjected to the rhetoric about “wrath” and “being lost.” By that time, I was already immersed in the study of the New Testament and its original language, first just to learn more, and then to prepare for translating it for people who lacked that privilege. This had two very helpful results: it both led me to the practice of trying to figure out just what was meant by many of the words that most folks used almost automatically, and protected me from the unBiblical threats of some who called themselves “evangelists”. The New Testament itself became my standard and my goal.

The word translated “church”, “ekklesia”, which etymologically means simply “called out”, was not at all uncommon in classical usage – but not in the way I had ever heard it used. As early as Homer, in the 6th century BC, it was used of any assembly officially summoned for a particular purpose: legal, civil, or even military. It is used that way in the account of the riot in Ephesus, described in Acts 19, referring to both the angry mob and the legal jurisdiction to which the town clerk referred them. The classical dictionary notes that the NT uses it to refer to a “body of Christians”, and notes that the word was not applied to a building or to a cadre of officials, until sometime in the 4th to the 6th centuries, well after the Roman emperor Constantine had restructured the “church” into a civic institution.

But we are concerned today with the faithful New Testament pattern. The word occurs only three times in the Gospels: once in Matthew’s account of Peter’s recognition of Jesus’ true identity (16:18), and twice in Jesus’ instructions for reconciliation among brethren (Mt.18:17). Very likely, the lack of gospel references is due to the more common use of sunago and its related words (English “synagogue”) as a gathering, or the gathering place, of the Jewish faithful. If this is the case, then Jesus’ deliberate choice of a different word takes on sharp significance. When he says “I will build my church”, he clearly intends to do a new thing. Please note that Jesus says HE intends to do the building! In recent years it has been in vogue for individuals or groups – mere people – to set out to “build” churches. With all due respect to their sincerity, THAT IS NOT OUR JOB!!!!! Peter casts it properly in the passive voice, (I Pet.2:5) that we are to BE BUILT into Jesus’ household! We are the building materials – called “living stones” – not the builders. We need to make ourselves available as building materials – but leave the building to the Master Builder! HE knows what he wants done and how he wants to operate. He, after all, is the architect, the head contractor, and the construction superintendent!!

There’s plenty of work that IS assigned to us. This is found in the epistles, which are addressed to the growing churches – NOT, please notice, to officials in charge of them! Check out to whom the vast majority of the NT letters are addressed: “to all the saints” (faithful) at a particular place.
It is “through the church” – not a place, but a people – that “rulers and authorities”, whether in heaven or on earth, are expected to see a demonstration of the “many-faceted wisdom of God”! as was read in Ephesians this morning.

For this purpose, Jesus has been provided to us as “head over everything with respect to the church, which is his Body” (Eph.1:22, Col.1:18). Paul has furnished us with an “instruction manual” (I Cor.12) for learning to function as members of that Body – with each person actively contributing to the interdependent unit.
The closest we come to a “recipe” in the New Testament for a gathering of the church is found in I Cor.14 – especially verses 24-31, where everyone was expected to come with something to share. I have never seen a group try that, have you? It would be a truly wonderful meeting! Admittedly, it would probably be upsetting to anyone who has a need to be in control, or who feels he “needs” to be under the control of some sort of “superior”.But please note that when anyone speaks, the rest are expected to evaluate what is said.It’s not a situation of an “anything goes” free-for-all. Nothing is to be automatically accepted without that evaluation. The description of their other activity in Ac.2:42-47 is similarly attractive, and just as rare.

Being composed of very human people, of course, even the early church was not all glorious sweetness and light. Jesus himself (Mt.18:17) had given instructions for dealing with conflict, with the help of the church. An excellent practical example is described in the conference at Jerusalem (Ac.15),dealing with conflict concerning the inclusion of Gentiles – an outstanding example of mediated reconciliation.Notice that this was a meeting of the whole group, not just the “apostles and elders”. Paul emphasizes in I Cor. 5 and 6 that the church, and not civil courts, should be called upon when mediation is needed, and gives explicit instructions for dealing with someone who needs to be corrected.

So, what is “the work of the church”?
The church at Antioch, after consensus about the Holy Spirit’s leading at a simple prayer meeting, sent out Paul, Barnabas, and Silas (and possibly others) to carry the message into unreached areas. Paul, however, is careful to remind folks that he has earned his own support and did not beg it of others (Ac.20:34).On occasion, congregations also volunteered tohelp support their work: the letter to the Philippians is basically a thank-you note. See (Phil.4:15, II Cor.11:8, 12-13), and a sizable group cooperated to send relief to needy brethren (II Cor.8) when they heard of a famine among distant brethren.

“The church” was also charged with the care of widows who had no family – which would have been a serious concern in groups under persecution. Paul gave very explicit instructions for this responsibility to Timothy in his first letter.The description at the endof Ac. 2 and Ac.4 lists some of their other activities, as does the extensive reference to the relief offering in II Cor.
Most of the church groups seem to have met in people’s homes. Ac.2:46 speaks of “breaking bread from house to house”, and Paul mentions groups meeting in the homes of Aquila and Priscilla (I Cor.16 and Rom.16), and Titus Justus (Ac.18:7) in Corinth; Nympha (Col.4:15) and Philemon (Phm.2) in Colossae; Lydia (Ac.16) in Philippi; John Mark’s mother in Jerusalem (Ac.12:12); and probably Gaius (Rom.16) wherever Romans was written from. Occasionally, as in Ephesus (Ac.19:9) at the beginning, a rented hall was used – perhaps to accommodate a larger group, or before a host was available. It was natural, then, for Paul to refer to the church (I Tim.3:15) as “the household of God.” About half of the references are plural, which probably indicates more than one congregation in a location. In any event, real estate does not seem to have been a concern.

There is no reference to the church as “a place to go on Sunday” to sit and listen to a learned lecture (or less-learned diatribe) and professionally performed music or other entertainment. There is no prescribed agenda or “liturgy,” except for Paul’s advice referenced in I Cor.14 and mentioned earlier.
It is important to note that, except for his instructions to Timothy and Titus, who seem to have been serving as his “deputies”, Paul addresses his letters to “all God’s people [the “saints”] at ….” [a location], and not to officials of any kind. In Phil.1:1, leaders are included in the address, but are not primary. This makes one wonder about the addressing of the “mail” in Rev.2 and 3 to “the messenger” (aggelos)– traditionally rendered “angel” (there is a word study on this usage), and the “you” words are singular, which is uncommon. Might this person have been some sort of corresponding secretary? But even in this case, everyone is called upon to heed “what the Spirit says to the churches.”

So what is this New Creation called “the church”?
I like the suggestion of a student years ago in a word study class, “a combination of a colony of the Kingdom and a support group!”
These are people gathered, as in Ac.2:42-47, to celebrate and share the resurrection life of their King.
As in Ac.11:26, to learn his ways, in order to represent him faithfully to those outside,
As in Ac.12:15, for mutual support and prayer in the face of persecution.
They deliberately avoid (Heb.10:25) neglecting to get together, since they need to keep coaching and encouraging one another to faithfulness,
(I Cor.14:12) each seeking to excel in what will edify the church, as they
(Heb.10:24) concentrate on prodding each other with love and good deeds.
They serve as a “demonstration project” of the wisdom and glory of God (Eph.3:10)
being “built together into a permanent dwelling place for God, in the Spirit.”(Eph.2:22).

No, the citizens of the Kingdom of Jesus do not and can not “go to church.” If they are faithful, they never LEAVE!!! “Church” is not a place to go. It is WHO YOU ARE!!! Not a place, but a people. Remember, that “you” is plural.Jesus’ statement that he is present whenever two or three of his people are deliberately “gathered in his name” (another subject that needs serious study, along with the rest of Mt.18), has far-reaching implications. The identity of the “church” and those who compose it is a personal, but not a private, affair. One’s decision to commit his life to faithfulness to Jesus should be the last wholly individual decision of his life. Only together can we be truly faithful to the gracious calling that we share.

May we learn to do so faithfully!

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https://pioneernt.com/2017/05/22/why-faithful-kingdom-citizens-cant-go-to-church/feed/2ruthpmartinA Message to all the site visitorshttps://pioneernt.com/2017/02/06/a-message-to-all-the-site-visitors/
https://pioneernt.com/2017/02/06/a-message-to-all-the-site-visitors/#commentsMon, 06 Feb 2017 21:31:53 +0000http://pioneernt.wordpress.com/?p=1416Dear brothers and sisters:

Yesterday, one of you pushed the total of views of this blog site over the 100,000 mark. You represent 186 countries, and over 3000 of you have downloaded the Pioneers” New Testament. I just want you all to know what an enormous gift that has been to an aging, but still eager, fellow-follower of the Lord Jesus.

This month marks 8 years since my son Dan began putting my studies on the web. This year will also mark 60 years since the Lord confirmed to me that I was supposed to spend my life at the task of working to provide for people a tool — or a set of tools — for more accurately understanding the text of the New Testament, which is our best record of the life and purpose of our Lord. Although I tried diligently to prepare for this assignment with academic training in both the Greek language and the principles and practice of linguistics, the privilege to work at it in any sort of “official” fashion was denied me. I had no “sponsor” among the hierarchies of several “church” institutions, and I was not willing (because of very clear New Testament precedent) to go around begging strangers to pay my way. Additionally, as you surely can imagine from reading many of the studies, my work rattled a few too many cages, kicked too many “sacred cows”, to be attractive to officials who treasure their pet “doctrines” more highly than linguistic accuracy.

However, with the immeasurably precious support of an equally committed husband, and occasional encouragement by fellow-seekers, the work continued. For a bit over ten years (most of the 1980’s), we taught informal classes to enable folks to do serious study on their own. These dear people kept asking for more organized work. Finally, in the early 1990’s, our dear daughter-in-law, Colleen, patiently introduced me to the alien computer world of “Word Perfect”, in order to prepare for a trial print version. Our students were enthusiastic — but with no “sponsor”, distribution was minimal. Later, our eldest son Dan created a CD version, with similar results. So it was that after several more revisions, Dan undertook to put it on the web, where most of you have found it. And this outlet enables me to continue to insist that it NEVER BE SOLD, but be freely available to all. I believe firmly that if anything is truly from the Lord, its only price-tag is obedience.

No one can stop it now! I thank the Lord for the privilege to share this work with each of you. I would still love to hear from more of you. The work would be much better with interactive efforts. None of us is “smart” enough to fully understand, alone. That’s why the Lord planned for a Body.
May we all represent him faithfully!

My love to you all — Ruth

]]>https://pioneernt.com/2017/02/06/a-message-to-all-the-site-visitors/feed/4ruthpmartinWord Study #205 — Restore, Restorationhttps://pioneernt.com/2017/01/05/word-study-205-restore-restoration/
https://pioneernt.com/2017/01/05/word-study-205-restore-restoration/#respondThu, 05 Jan 2017 20:14:45 +0000http://pioneernt.wordpress.com/?p=1412A recent reference at church to the concept of “restoring what was lost”, quoting a number of Old Testament prophetic messages (but ignoring the accompanying conditions – the requirement that God’s people deliberately return to following his instructions) sent me on a quest to discover exactly what the New Testament had to say about “restoration.” This subject has been a source of curiosity ever since a college friend – whom I still consider a faithful brother – announced his decision to identify with “Restoration Theology”, which he described as a return to the principles and practice of the early church. This is a goal with which I readily identify – but his description of the group he had chosen bore little resemblance to anything I could find in the New Testament.

This was not an easy quest, since a careful search yielded only eleven uses of either the noun or verb, most of which simply referenced physical healing or the payment of what was owed.

We are dealing here with three quite different words in the original text, each of which is rendered with a wide assortment of English translations.

Apodidomi, the most versatile of these words, usually referred to a payment of some kind. Lk.19:8 quotes Zacchaeus’ intention to “restore” (give back) his ill-gotten gains from his tax business – the only time that traditional translators rendered it “restore”. Other uses include the payment of wages (Mt.20:8), a debt (Mt.18:25-34), or a bill (Lk.10:25.); giving an account of behavior (Ac.19:40, Mt.12:26, Lk.16:2); paying rent (Mt.21:41), the sale of people or goods (Ac.5:8, 7:9); the yield of a harvest (Heb.16:11, Rv.22:2), or some sort of reward (Mt.6:4,6,18; 16:21; II Tim 4:14).
All of these and more are included in the L/S treatment of the term: “to render what is due: debts, penalties, or honor; the yield of land; to concede or allow; to bring to a conclusion; to give an account, explanation, or interpretation;” and even “to accept a bribe”!

Apokathistemi, in contrast, is rendered “restore” in all 8 occurrences. Classically, this word is more specific also: L/S lists “to reestablish, restore, reinstate; to pay what is due, to hand over or deliver; to settle affairs; and (of planets) to return to their place.”

Four of the eight references simply describe healing: Mt.12:13 and parallels in Mk.3:5 and Lk.3:10, and Mk.9:25. One (Heb.13:19) simply requests prayer that the writer be “restored” to the recipients of the letter – presumably referring to a hoped-for visit.

The other three are the only ones that could possibly have any connection to any of the prophetic messages. There are two references to Jesus’ explanatory statement to his startled disciples on the occasion of his transfiguration (Mt.17:11 and Mk.9:12), where he relates the ministry of John the Baptist to Elijah’s “restoring all things” or “setting all things right.” Jesus makes the point that John did indeed come to “prepare the way”, as he had said. But both Gospel writers record John’s own description (Mt.3:3, Mk.1:3) of his task as “hetoimazo” (“prepare or make ready”) – a different word entirely. Jesus goes on to describe John’s fate as foreshadowing his own. No blaze of glory here!

The only other appearance of this word is the disciples’ query, just before Jesus’ ascension, “Is this when you’re going to restore the kingdom (sovereignty) to Israel?” (Ac.1:6). Jesus’ response here is most significant. It might well be paraphrased, “You guys are asking the wrong question! Get busy at your real assignment: you are supposed to BE the kingdom, not just speculate about it! And it’s not just about Israel any more: it’s ‘to the ends of the earth’!”

Finally, katartizo , usually translated with some form of “perfect” (see study #13) or “complete” – L/S “adjust, put in order, mend, restore, furnish, equip, prepare, or make ready” – is only once rendered “restore” in the New Testament (Gal.6:1) where it refers to the reinstatement of a brother who had fallen away from his commitment.

So – where does this leave us?
“Restoration” is indeed truly integral to the message of the Gospel, whether it refers to physical healing, honest payment of debts, wages, or other obligations; the reinstatement and welcome of those who have stumbled, or the reward of the faithful.

In no case, however, does it imply, advocate, or justify any form of nationalism – anywhere.

The single reference to the political ascendancy of Israel was explicitly rejected by the Lord Jesus himself, who instructed his followers to become, and to spread, HIS Kingdom “to the ends of the earth!” Restoration is a work assignment – not a trophy!